


Us

by lamuexte



Category: Zankyou no Terror, 残響のテロル | Zankyou no Terror | Terror in Resonance
Genre: M/M, Rated T for minor swearing, Suggested Terrorism, They love each other, they just don't know it yet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-20
Updated: 2016-06-20
Packaged: 2018-07-16 03:18:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,187
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7249858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lamuexte/pseuds/lamuexte
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Twelve has some thoughts about his relationship with the brooding Nine, and isn't afraid to share them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Us

“Ne ne, Nine.”

The young man in question looked up from his work, a mess of scrambled wires and circuit boards littering the table before him. He had a bead of sweat on the side of his forehead, and he adjusted his glasses quickly with a scowl. “Yes Twelve? What is it?”

A rather enthusiastic brunette swung his legs from the top bed of the bunk they shared, smiling down at his partner with a smug grin. “Nothin’ much. I was just wondering a few things and thought you’d have the answer to them. You seem busy though.”

He flopped back onto the bed, his back hitting the rather hard mattress as he sighed. He curled up on his side, quiet as he waiting for some kind of a response. The small scratch of a chair moving backwards on the floor and footsteps were his answer.

Twelve turned over to smile at Nine, the black-haired accomplice scowling over the edge of the bunk. “I can’t ever escape your curiosity can I Twelve?,” he grumbled, poking the smaller boy’s side as a signal to scoot over. 

Soon, he hopped onto the bed alongside the brunette, sitting up with his legs crossed. He laid his hands on his knees and looking into Twelve’s eyes with a muted look. “What are they this time?,” he questioned. “Thoughts about the institute, about our work?”

Nine frowned as the brunette shook his head, smiling once more. “It’s not about the institute this time. I think I’ve finally gotten over talking about that place. I had a few thoughts about what we do, and about us.”

Us. That was a word that Nine hadn’t heard in a long time. It had always just been _‘you and I’_ , and _‘the wonderful Nine’_ and _‘the Sphinx’_. 

“Well then,” he murmured, pursing his lips. “Fire away then. I’m all ears for the next ten minutes, but then I must get back to work. We are on a tight schedule as you know.”

Twelve grinned, no, _beamed_ as he pushed himself up. How he was able to keep such a positive attitude, Nine would never know. “Great! So the first one was, do you ever think of what people think about what we do?” A pause. “I mean, I always do. What do people think when a building collapses, or when a building explodes?”

He looked over at Nine as he paused again, and when he still didn’t get a response, he continued. “We’re always happy that it went according to plan, and move onto the next thing. But what do the others feel?”

Nine grumbled something under his breath before sighing. “I never imagine what they feel because we used to be like them. I’m sure they feel fear Twelve. Fear and anger. That’s just something we can’t feel anymore…”

A small hum came from Twelve as he giggled and smiled. “I guess you’re right. Helps when the terrorists don’t have emotions right? Heh heh - ” He tilted his body and fell over again, this time on Nine’s lap, and he felt happy that the taller boy didn’t push him away. 

“Now onto the next thought,” he continued, stretching his arms up to the ceiling as if an attempt to grasp whatever was there. “About us. Do you consider me your friend Nine?”

Nine immediately tensed up, the brunette could feel it. He tilted his head back to look up into his partner’s face, a frown sitting where his smile should be. “Nine?” He moved his arms back to rest on the boy’s face, sliding his glasses off. He wanted to see his eyes better.

Twelve sighed as Nine just continued to stare down at him, his lips pursed into a tight line. The brunette always asked this question, but he always got silence as an answer. 

He slipped the black glasses onto his own face, sticking out his tongue as he mimicked Nine. “Oh look at me - I’m Nine and I’m all stoic and _stupid_ looking. Science this, science that, blah blah blahhhhh. Oh Twelve, why don’t you go stick a pencil up your ass and leave me alone for once!”

No response. Nothing changed in his face. Twelve gave up and turned to stare at the pale wall instead. It was useless trying to get to him.

But soon, he felt a small shudder come from Nine, and he quickly looked up to see the faintest trace of a smile on the black-haired boy’s face. A sound bubbled up from the back of his throat, and it took Twelve a few moments to process that he was _laughing._

Nine was laughing.

The brunette quickly sat up, the glasses sliding off his face as he stared at Nine in shock. “N - Nine are you oka - ” But he was quickly broken off as he was pulled into a tight hug.

It was an awkward hug for sure, for he was twisted towards the wall and his face was pressed into Nine’s chest. He could hear his heartbeat, along with the small laugh that was quickly beginning to die out.

“I’m fine Twelve,” he whispered, his voice coming out in a gasp as he tried to keep a cool head. “You just make me really happy sometimes…”

Twelve’s eyes flashed open to meet darkness, for he was still buried in Nine’s chest. “I maph you haphey?,” he asked, his voice muffled through the thick sweater his partner was wearing.

“Oddly enough, you do,” Nine sighed. “And… I think it’s safe to say I consider you as a friend. Maybe even a close friend. You are my only one after all.”

The brunette was quick to break into giggles, and he pulled away from Nine to smile up with flushed cheeks. “That’s nice to know. I was thinking you were never going to answer that question Nine.”

Nine frowned again before tearing his gaze away, looking down at his watch with a scowl. “Time’s up,” he grumbled, pushing Twelve away from him and jumping off the bed. 

Twelve watched him go with a smirk, holding up the glasses triumphantly. “Think you’re forgetting something smart guy?,” he snickered, twirling the glasses around his finger once before they were snatched from his grasp.

“Go out and buy us some dinner or something,” Nine snarled. “I have work to do.” He collapsed back into his chair and stared down at the mess on his table, quickly picking up a screwdriver as he typed a few things into his computer.

“Okie dokie,” Twelve sighed, sliding off the bed and going to grab his shoes. “You know though, Nine? You don’t have to be such an ass about it.”

He whistled as Nine turned to lecture him, but he had already skipped out the door with a smile on his face big enough to light up the whole block. 

The brunette knew that Nine’s favorite ramen was shoyu, and he twirled his keys around his pinky as he thought of how many bowls to get. 

They were going after the news station tomorrow anyway, so it wasn’t good to terrorize on an empty stomach.


End file.
